How Did I Fall In Love With You?
by ThickerThanLove
Summary: Songfic. One late night, Rainbow and Brian realize how far their friendship has come. My second romance...please R


How Did I Fall in Love with You?

Songfic. The characters of Rainbow Brite and Brian are not mine. The song How Did I Fall in Love with You is the Backstreet Boys. I don't claim either of these, just the story. Chronologically this is about a year or two before Rainbow's part of Light to Darkness, Darkness to Light. Or if you haven't read that, Brian's about 18-22 and Rainbow looks about 18.

Rainbow stood at the bottom of the waterfall and watched the Rainbow River wash by her feet. She had come a long way from the small girl that had saved this world from darkness. Her body had grown, to about the stature of an eighteen year old human girl. Her golden hair had grown and now fell down to her waist. She wore a light blue skirt with a white blouse with the Color Belt hugging her hips. Her long slender legs were bare at the moment so she stepped into the river. It was cold but she welcomed it.

Brian was an adult now. She missed him. He still came occasionally. He was supposed to meet her tonight. He wasn't ashamed to see her in the daytime but during the day she was always so busy. He wanted some time alone with her. Rainbow wrapped her head and pulled at her blond hair. What was wrong with her?

_Remember when we never needed each other?_

_The best of friends, like sister and brother._

_We understood, we'd never be…_

_Alone._

            Rainbow's thoughts went back to when Brian was ten and then eleven. She was centuries older but they felt the same age. If RainbowLand ever needed help, Brian was right there. The other Color Kids were reluctant, although Red more than any other. Patty seemed more tolerant but then if Red Butler didn't like someone, Patty usually adored them.

            Rainbow wrapped her arms around her body, trying to conserve some warmth. It was cold but she didn't care. She wanted to talk to Brian. She knew she should have called off her visits but she simply couldn't. She cared about Brian. He could have been near the end of his lifespan, and a grandfather but Rainbow would always welcome him. He was her friend.

            Or was he? Lately, Rainbow had been wondering. She still cared for him and she knew the feeling was mutual but it was stronger. So much stronger…

            Rainbow raised her eyes to the sky searching for a rainbow that would tell her that Brian was coming. Her excitement was odd. Different than usual…

_Those days are gone,_

_Now I want you so much_

_The night is long and I need your touch_

_Don't know what to say, never meant to feel this way_

_Don't wanna be…alone tonight._

Rainbow sat, and trailed her fingers through the river. She knew what she was feeling, knew it for a fact. But she knew it was impossible. She had a long lifespan of perhaps millions of years. Brian would die after about a hundred years. If he lived that long, most humans died after eighty or maybe ninety. Rainbow growled and rolled her hands into fists. 

"Even if I tell him that I love him, he knows I'll live for almost eternity. He'll die before I age significantly. How can I…"

The girl sighed deeply and slammed her fist into one of her palms. By the rainbow, it wasn't fair! Her heart tore in her chest and tears gathered in her eyes as she realized what she felt could never be.

_What can I do to make you mine?_

_Fallin' so hard, so fast this time._

_What did I say? What did you do?_

_How did I fall in love with you?_

"Rainbow!"

The girl looked up and smiled. Brian slid down the forming rainbow and landed before the blond haired girl. Rainbow embraced him and held him tightly. The tears that she had in her eyes had begun to overflow. She tried desperately to hold them in. But that attempt was to no avail.

"Rainbow?" Brian drew away and noted her tears. She swiftly tried to wipe them away. Brian shoved a few away with his thumb. Rainbow forced herself to speak and not to cry.  But Brian's voice was making her quake inside. The thought of him no coming as she knew would happen eventually tore her heart in two.

"Brian, I'm sorry." She sighed, "I've been thinking lately. Of how dear a friend you are to me-"

"And you know I'll die eventually." Brian finished.

Rainbow nodded. "I…I…you're like…that is…"

"Rainbow," Brian lifted her chin and looked right into those cool blue eyes. Over the years, he had longed for those eyes more and more. When they had first met, Rainbow had become like a little sister. But as they grew, so did their feelings.

"Rainbow," Brian said again, "Just say it."

"I.. I can't." the girl said, defeated.

_I hear your voice and I start to tremble_

_Brings back the child that_

_ I resemble_

_I cannot pretend that we can still be friends._

_Don't wanna be alone tonight._

Brian smiled and looked at his friend.

"I've never known you to say you can't do something before," he joked. Rainbow managed a small smile. Allowing a small giggle, she said,

"I guess I haven't…but…"

"Let me guess, you're embarrassed."

Rainbow stared at him and her cheeks turned a light pink shade. Brian slapped her left one gently,

"Tickled Pink needs to lighten the tint a bit."

Rainbow just stared at him. Could he read her so easily? She thought only Patty and Starlite could do that. Had they truly grown so close that her emotions were so clear to him? How could she have missed that? How?

Brian hugged her tightly again and inhaled her sweet scent. He had never noticed it before but now as he tasted it in his nose he sighed. It was like a mixture of flower's perfumes. The girl tightened her grip and let Brian just hold her.

As the human boy stared at this girl he had grown to love, he wished desperately that he had a way to stay with her forever. He knew that if he didn't have a way then she could never love him back without fear of pain when he died. He felt his eyes burn with unshed tears. 

_What can I do to make you mine?_

_Fallin' so hard, so fast this time._

_What did I say? What did you do?_

_How did I fall in love with you?_

Rainbow made up her mind. She knew this could never be. She knew it. But the pain, the heart numbing agony was eating away at her soul like acid. She took a breath and looked at Brian, her head still laid against his chest.

"Brian?"

"Yeah?"

"I…I…" she was stammering again. Summoning all the strength she could, she declared with a tear-choked voice,

"I…I love you."

Brian looked at her as she buried her face into his chest. He fingered her golden curls. Taking a breath, he knew he could keep it in no longer.

"I know. I love you too."

Rainbow stared at him. "Why? We can't…I'm…and you're…"

Brian smirked, even with eyes wet with tears. "I know that. And so do you. But love doesn't know that. It just knows who it wants."

_I wanna say this right_

_And it has to be tonight_

_Just need you to know_

_I don't wanna live this lie_

_I don't wanna say goodbye_

_With you I wanna spend_

_The rest of my life…_

Rainbow flung her arms around Brian's neck. Tears erupted from her eyes. They left stains on her pale skin. Brian wrapped his hands around her head. She sobbed openly into his chest. Brian gave up drying her tears and instead let her cry.

Rainbow told herself that she shouldn't be crying, as she knew when she fell for Brian that she would live for centuries while he would not. She cursed fate. Why was it so cruel and unfair? She spread colors to spread joy. Was she not entitled to any herself? Could she not have the one person she loved?

She cursed fate and Lady Brite out under her breath. If she hadn't come here, she never would have met Brian and this pain wouldn't be here. But as soon as she had done so, she regretted it. She didn't regret coming here. She'd met Patty O'Green and the rest of the Color Kids as well as the young man who was hugging her so greatly. She didn't regret a moment of it.

"Brian?"

"Yes?"

"I…I wish, I wish…"

"I know." He laid his cheek on the top her head, "I do too."

He went on, "I don't care if I die. I want to be with you as long as I can."

_What can I do to make you mine?_

_Fallin' so hard, so fast this time._

_What did I say? What did you do?_

_How did I fall in love with you?_

Rainbow smiled and looked up at Brian, "I know, me too. It hurts to think about the future but if I can have you for a hundred years I'll take that over no time at all." 

Brian smiled. So much had changed! He remembered how when he'd first met her, he'd been so disbelieving and even angry at first. He'd had a bad day already but then he was splashed with colors. 

When he'd first seen RainbowLand he was in awe. It was beautiful. Over time, he got to know the Color Kids. Patty, she was so mischievous, a regular tomboy. But Brian had known from the start that she was carrying a torch for Buddy Blue. The same with La La for Red. He didn't know what she saw in Red but he was at age where he didn't understand girls anyway.

He had seen Rainbow as a mature little girl. He'd been stunned when he found out she was over a hundred years old! But that had not changed much. He grew to respect her not because of how old she was but because of her bravery and strength. 

So much had changed and yet so little had changed at the same time. His feelings had morphed so slowly he had not even been aware of it. And yet it had grown so it was overwhelming. 

Rainbow smiled up at Brian. Her heart felt better. It was as if someone had lifted a weight from it. She knew that he'd been reluctant and felt that she was too young for her job when he'd first met her. But she had swiftly proven him wrong.

He had proven himself several times to her. His enthusiasm had not dampened when Murky had taken her belt. And then when RainbowLand was in trouble he'd followed her even though she had told him that she could handle it. He had sacrificed his own colors to save them all. 

Rainbow smiled at him brightly. He picked her up in his arms. She laughed. He was a regular romantic. Their feelings may have developed but he was still the same doll she had met years ago.

_What can I do to make you mine?_

_Fallin' so hard, so fast this time._

_Everything's changed, we never knew_

Brian stared at Rainbow for a moment. She noted and looked right back with wide eyes. She wrapped her arms around his neck tightly and closed her eyes. He pressed his lips against hers and she welcomed it. He could tell by the way she pressed back, so accepting. 

Rainbow still had questions. She didn't know if this relationship would work. She didn't know if it would grow or if the others would accept it. But quite honestly at that moment, she sincerely did not care. She pressed back hard, drinking in his love.

Brian was gratefully replying. He knew that he would only live a short time, compared with her. But he didn't care. He loved her. Love just felt, it did not ask questions. He did ask. Just one remained:

_How did I fall in love with you?_

Rainbow and Brian drew away, smiling. They both had the same answer.

_"I don't know. I don't care. I just love."_


End file.
